Michigan about to require women to buy “rape insurance” based on petition signed by 4.2% of voters

The War on Women continues…

NOTE: this post has been corrected as noted below. There is also an update with a link to Planned Parenthood’s petition.

Thanks to a petition drive that resulted in 4.2% of Michiganders voicing their minority opinion, Michigan is about to become a place where women have to plan ahead for their abortions. If you become pregnant accidentally or if you are raped and become pregnant and haven’t purchased a separate abortion coverage rider on your health insurance, you won’t be covered. This isn’t just for state government insurance plans or those purchased on the health insurance exchange. It’s for EVERY insurance plan available in the state.

A controversial initiative that would require women to buy an additional rider on their health insurance if they wanted abortion coverage is one short step away from going to the Legislature, where it is likely to easily become law.

Because no one filed a challenge by Monday’s deadline to the more than 315,000 signatures turned in to the Secretary of State, an initiative that would prohibit abortion coverage from being included in standard insurance policies will go forward.

And the Secretary of State certified Monday that Michigan Right to Life, which spearheaded the petition drive, has more than enough valid signatures to start the ball rolling on the new state law. A minimum of 258,088 valid signatures were needed. The anti-abortion activists turned in 315,477 signatures. And the Secretary of State’s elections division estimated that 299,941 of the signatures are valid.

The state Board of Canvassers will meet at 9:30 a.m. Dec. 2 to certify the signatures and then the petition moves to the state Legislature, which has 40 days to approve, reject or do nothing with the legislative ballot initiative.

The good news for Republicans is that they don’t have to do a thing and don’t have to go on record as having been a willing participant in this effort to further restrict women in Michigan from obtaining a safe and legal abortion. If they do nothing, it becomes law. If they pass it, it becomes law. Only if they vote it down, which they surely will not do given their ideologically extreme views, will it not become law. The other 95.8% of us won’t have a say and neither will Governor Snyder.

CORRECTION: If Republicans vote it down or fail to act on it, it will be a ballot iniatitive in the next general election. Neither of these is likely given their ideologically extreme views. If they pass it, it becomes law. The other 95.8% of us won’t have a say and neither will Governor Snyder.

Don’t tell me there isn’t a War on Women in Michigan being waged by religious conservatives in our state. The evidence is right before you.

UPDATE: As Amy points out in the comments, Planned Parenthood has a petition going asking legislators to allow ALL Michigan voters to have a say in this. You can sign the petition HERE.

GOP “Logic”-it is your right to own and carry a gun anywhere you want, to not wear a motorcycle helmet if you don’t want to…you do not have to purchase an extra insurance rider to cover the costs of any medical consequences of these voluntary decisions. On the other hand, if you are a female you must purchase extra insurance, just in case you are the victim of a crime against your will.

Are there clauses in the insurance that would make this extra coverage null & void: Dress standards; Moral character; Can’t be “asking for it.”; Blood alcohol level; Leading someone on; Didn’t put out after guy paid for dinner and theater tickets…?

Just when I think the Right’s Moral Compass couldn’t be more damaged they throw it off a fifty story building and run it over with a Monster Truck.

macs13

You have to carry an extra rider that is less than cheap in order to ride helmet-less, FYI.

Heck no, nobody should be forced to buy rape insurance and the person who did the rape is at fault, not the woman.

kalpal

Are you implying that she is not at fault for being a woman? Maybe its her parents who are at fault. Of course the pie in the sky guy might be at fault also and should be encouraged to pay all costs involved.

Eric Lilly

Are you saying that some women are just whores, who learned to be whores from their parents and therefore deserve to be raped?

kalpal

Having grown up in the middle east and coming to know that in Islam a woman surving a rape will likely be killed by her family but the man who committed the rape can pay a monetary fine and remain not alive but able to rape again, I find America’s RW treatment of women as being responsible for being raped beacuse of…(insert silly reason here). Women do not rape, assuming rape is defined as sexual intercourse forced upon another. Someone who rapes a 90 year old woman can’t excuse his action as being her fault for being too seductive nor can someone who rapes a 3 year old child, yet quite often that is tendered as the rationale for teh rape.

laserbabe

How is it that no one, including PP, CRR & the ACLU did not file a challenge to this?

http://eclectablog.com Eclectablog

Well, because it’s legal under Michigan law, I suppose.

Jon Daum

And if a gang member shoots you while you walk on a sidewalk, should you have gunshot insurance to be sure you get treatment? Never trust small minds…they mistake their version of morality for freedom

http://eclectablog.com Eclectablog

Well said, Jon.

kevin

Yeah in most insurance plans, emergency service and surgeries are covered. And how can anyone support a law that restricts freedom of policy makers to include a service? How fucking un-American is that

Abortions should be a woman’s choice, but no tax money should be used for it. If you want an abortion let health insurance pay for it, or yourself, or charity.

Rudabaga

It’s private plans Piper, not tax money. They want to control what plan you negotiate privately with your insurance company.

Ron S

seems to me private plans are going by the wayside under Obama care which covers abortions at this time so I’m lost at what the crying is about. In short time you’ll all be under Obamacare and covered. Am I missing something here? Is this something unique to Michigan?

http://eclectablog.com Eclectablog

Private plans are not “going by the wayside”
That’s an uninformed comment.

Ron S

Tell that to all those that are losing their coverage that they liked and worked well for them. You know, all those that believed the “If you like your plan you can keep it, period” lie. And even if they don’t all dissappear why shouldn’t abortion coverage be a separately purchased item just like any add on you purchase.

Rudabaga

So you are in favor of the government dictating how the private insurance companies negotiate contracts with those who purchase their services? OK, but don’t complain about loss of freedom to choose if that’s your stance.

KMDAB

What tax money? Have you ever heard of the Hyde Amendment? Wait, obviously you haven’t.

Ron S

So where does the money come from that is part of the Hyde amendment? Let me guess, all members of Congress donate from their earnings.

KMDAB

Not sure what you are asking. The hyde amendment prevents the use of taxpayer/fed $ for abortions…. so what is your point?

How does something that less than 5% of the voters vote for becomes law? Also the women in Michigan can fix this by making sure they vote out those you have make women their enemy.

Seth MacLaren

meanwhile marijuana is supported by an increasingly overwhelming majority of the adult population, both statewide and nationally, and despite god-knows-how-many petitions/signatures (more than 4.2%), will continue to remain illegal so long as this world’s leaders stand to make a profit on it

Nicole Roberts

I am from Michigan and I never even heard about this till now. This is bullshit.

kevin

This is one of the most un-American things ever. They are trying to restrict of the freedom of a company to provide a service. WTF. That’s like telling a restaurant they can’t serve dessert unless you say so first. WTF

Dave Lanson

How low will these “small government” hypocrites go to control women? This is absolutely disgusting, and it’s what I would expect from some Neanderthal-controlled state like MIssissippi or Texas.

Rev. Janell Smith

How about requiring men to rape insurance too! That’s so overall premiums will drop and yes to provide hospital services, police and court costs, and psychological counseling for victims. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.

Lolliberals

You liberals are incredibly naive. All I see from this is that insurance companies wouldn’t be forced to cover abortions under their normal costs. And why is that so bad? Why should insurance companies be forced to pay for your unnecessary procedure for an accidental pregnancy? I will agree that if a woman is raped there should be help in seeking an abortion if desired, but only then. If you’re too irresponsible to use protection then you pay for an abortion. If you’re one of the very unlucky 1% who get pregnant while using protection, then tough luck, life isn’t fair, get over it.

Tim Coon

If I shoot you in your fascist face with my shotgun, then tough luck, life isn’t fair. Get over it.

Tearinitup

So, if someone who has insurance goes skydiving and they break a leg, their hospital visit shouldn’t be covered by the private company they pay into for that very reason?

Ron S

Excellent response. If we aborted every child that entered our lives because they were in convenient pregnancies we wouldn’t have had the joy we experienced raising children and grandchildren that we have had. Sounds like a add on rider just like you purchase for any other insurance policy. If you want comprehensive coverage on your automobile you request it and pay for it. You don’t say you want it but your neighbor will pay for it. Are you fighting against the requirement of single men having to purchase insurance for mamma grams and pregnancy under Obamacare. Bet not. It’s a war on men.

Absolutely ridiculous, when you get raped it’s bad enough, but then you get raped again by your government. They have now crossed the line of sanity and women’s rights,I guess the Repiglicans can get slimmer..

http://www.plan8.tv Roanhouse

Totally will be found unconstitutional because it singles out a gender class for a requirement of law.

Calling BS

I saw the title of this article and just had to see what this was all about. Come to find out, it’s just the standard liberal tactic of misrepresenting the truth [lying] to stir up the brainless [liberal] masses. Rape insurance? Can’t you liberals ever take an issue you believe in and tell it like it really is? You know, tell the actual facts, not some foaming at the mouth, twisted lie, like rape insurance. Required rape insurance? I swear, words can’t describe how despicable you liberals are. Cue the rabid cursing and name calling in 3..2..1..

UnicornWrangler

What’s your point? Are you saying the government doesn’t have the right to control the content of your health insurance?

Usually its the left that manages to force its will on a more conservative majority, Its a surprise to see it works for the Right as well. Who knew?

Ron S

Your statement doesn’t make sense since it is still the left forcing their will on the right by insisting the right should pay for coverage the left demands. Pay for your own abortion coverage. Nobody’s preventing you from doing that. Probably cheaper than cigarettes and alchohol

GeorgiaBlue

The actuality of the proposed law is ridiculous enough, why headline it in such a misleading fashion? It isn’t rape insurance, it is abortion insurance. Headlines like this – which I note progressive websites are using more an more – hurt the credibility of the left and are the type of “journalism” we are constantly berating the right for using.

http://eclectablog.com Eclectablog

If the right can use “death panels”, I can use the phrasing coined by Senate Minority Leader Gretchen Whitmer. At least this situation, it’s accurate. “Death panels” was never accurate.

ThyGeekGoddess

Who, in Political Suicidetopia, wrote that POS?

Frankie

Will men also need insurance in case they rape someone? Or in case they plan to have sex resulting in an unplanned pregancy?

Mike Anderson

Michigan, birthplace of Sharia law in America.

Jassen Soberano

There is nothing more important than being safe so we should always be ready and prepared on how to deal with sex offenders. Have some safety gear in you when you are alone or going in unfamiliar place and always be cautious. I am suggesting you to use this application because it doesn’t only monitor your love ones but also to locate sex offenders so that you can at least assure that your kids are safe, also has a family locator that will let you know where your family’s are. I hope I helped you make a decision.To know all about this, check it out here: http://safekidzone.com/#!/page_home

mrbunnylamakins

So they are being sexist too. there are cases where men get raped. I know the majority of the time it is women but there is “Equality”. If this is the case men in the military should get it because News reports came out saying men in the military get rapped more than women while serving.

http://eclectablog.com Eclectablog

This is about insurance coverage for abortions. It forces women to plan ahead for their abortions by purchasing a separate rider to cover their abortion even in the case of rape.

Ron S

So? If your the abortion seeking type of person then purchase the insurance. A lot of us aren’t and don’t care to pay for yours.

http://eclectablog.com Eclectablog

You betray your ignorance with comments like this. It’s worth reminding you that other people can read your comments and will now how ill-informed you are.

Ron S

What an idiotic reply. I posted this knowing a lot of folks will read it. Isn’t that the purpose of this site? I’m not ill informed. I’m just not a liberal minded person that wants every body else to cover my needs. Like I said, if your abortion minded pay the extra fee. Simple. Moron

Tony Trupiano is the host of the online radio program The Voice of the People, M-F, 9 a.m.-noon . He is the author of two books and has been part of the progressive media landscape for 20+ years. Follow him on Twitter @tonytrupiano.